


Playing Human

by rainbowshoes



Series: Tony Stark Bingo 2019 [11]
Category: Marvel, Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Dark Tony Stark, Extremis Tony Stark, Good guys gone bad, M/M, Not Avengers: Infinity War Compliant, Thor: Ragnarok Compliant
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-22
Updated: 2019-03-22
Packaged: 2019-11-27 21:40:41
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,223
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18199658
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rainbowshoes/pseuds/rainbowshoes
Summary: loosely based on the concept from American Gods (which i've neither seen nor read) that our gods are created from the things we "worship" the most - and Tony Stark is the god of modern technologyFor the Tony Stark Bingo 2019K3: Myths and LegendsT4: Good Guys Gone Bad





	1. K3: Myths and Legends

The first time Tony truly met Thor, on the helicarrier after Loki was imprisoned safely in the Hulk cage, Thor looked surprised. Tony had thrown the big, hulking blond a cheery, if sly, wink and smirk, and he'd turned his attention back to the conversation. 

Thor hadn't understood. How could such a powerful, if small, god demand no respect? How could he not command rooms and have servants and others to do his bidding? 

And yet, all Thor did at the time was give Tony a knowing nod and leave it in peace. Who was he to judge how another god demanded worship? He could sense Tony's godhood was still new and fresh. It was odd, in a way, because he hadn't known Midgard to have any such gods. But he did not doubt the power emanating from the man before him.

It wasn't until later - much later - that Thor understood. Tony did command rooms with his mere presence. He did have servants to do his bidding, though he had either built them himself or he paid them and rewarded them handsomely. 

By the time Thor began to make those connections, however, it was a little too late. He'd forgotten Tony's power. He'd forgotten Tony's godhood. He so rarely caught glimpses of it, afterall, and the rest? The feeling of looking at one of his own kind and  _ knowing  _ them for who they were? It faded. Tony had such a loud presence, after all. It was difficult to distinguish the difference between Tony's usual loud personality from the subtle shift when he called upon his godhood. 

(Tony rarely ever called upon his godhood.)

Tony didn't mind that Thor forgot. That was the nature of his godhood, after all. 

Everyone forget what he was. Everyone except for Tony. In the end, it made little difference. His technology ruled people's lives, and they worshiped him at every alter - at every tv, every phone, every automatic door and elevator, every time anyone thought to use anything vaguely electronic. Tony received their worship. And it made him stronger.

He didn't often have to remind anyone of his power, not once they knew of it. Those that knew tended to forget, in some ways, but they never truly forgot. They would remember themselves, remember who  _ he _ was. Even if it wasn't until the very last second, they would remember, and Tony would allow the moment - his power - to fade just a little. He would allow it to recede. 

And yet Thor forgot himself. After ULTRON's first appearance, when Thor demanded to know what Tony thought he was doing, when Thor told him he was messing with something beyond his ability to comprehend, Thor had grabbed him by the neck. 

Tony allowed it to happen. He didn't fight back. 

But he didn't forget. He never forgot anything. And so he reminded Thor of his power. 

He reminded him when they were alone. After the dust had settled post-ULTRON. After most of the Avengers had left Tony alone in his big, empty tower. 

Tony revealed his power for the first time in a long time. He hadn't shown such a lack of total control since he destroyed most of the Ten Rings in Afghanistan. Yet he stood before Thor with electric blue light dancing in his eyes and across his skin. 

And Thor bowed his head in supplication. 

All was forgiven, and Tony allowed Thor to leave after a quiet word of apology. 

The Civil War happened and passed, and Tony barely kept his power in check as he fought off both Rogers and Barnes. Even in his rage and grief, he knew Barnes hadn't truly been responsible for his parents’ murder. But he'd needed an outlet, and Steve's betrayal had hurt worse than watching the Soldier smash Howard's face in - had hurt worse, even, than watching him strangle his mother. 

The Avengers moved on without him, and Tony fled to San Francisco. He built himself a new tower on Alcatraz. Stark Island. So very few people had access, now. 

Tony fed the world Extremis and other new tech, gave them exactly what they wanted, exactly what they needed, even if they didn't think they needed it, even if they hadn't realized they needed it.

Because he needed the world to survive. 

But he wasn't going to allow it to survive without  _ him _ .

The moment he got his godhood was the moment he built the first arc reactor. He knew, then, what it was capable of. What power it would give the world. What power it would give  _ him _ . He's always been a selfish creature at heart. 

He wasn't going to allow anyone to take that away from him. He finally gave in and told Pepper exactly what she needed to hear - the opposite of what she wanted to hear. 

“I'm the most intelligent, capable person on the planet. I'm not  _ playing _ god. All this time? I've been playing human.” 


	2. T4: Good Guys Gone Bad

Thor returned to Earth on a nearly crippled ship, with nearly a thousand Asgardians, his brother, a Valkyrie straight out of legend, and several other aliens from various planets. Tony helped them develop their new sanctuary in Norway - certainly not the only country to offer, but the one Thor chose. 

Tony and Thor grew close. They recognized each other's power, shared the pain of loss and the sense of unbelonging that came to being gods on Earth. They kept their new-budding relationship from the press, but those who were close to them, such as Loki and Brunhilde and Bruce, knew all there was to know. 

There were problems, of course. There were always problems. The Asgardians had unnaturally (compared to humans) long lives, and their golden apples to see that they kept those long lives. When the world discovered this secret - a spy had come to the settlement, had found it out, had stolen an apple, and had paid a terrible price for the theft - the world demanded the Asgardians share their magic. Thor would have had no problem with this, had he a limitless supply and had he known the world truly would have shared the bounty equally, but he knew better than that, had experienced humanity's greed first-hand. He would not share, and the world's leaders became angry with him. 

Tony discovered the news through the media, same as everyone else. Thor hadn't thought it important enough to bother Tony with, had thought Tony's work in ensuring the world didn't collapse under itself was more important. The moment the news broke that several countries were currently engaged in a Cold War-esque standoff with New Asgard, he flew to see Thor and Loki and discuss the problem with them.

“I can make it all go away,” Tony said, once Thor had finished explaining. He settled himself on Thor's lap and wrapped his arms around his neck. Thor looked so very tired, these days. The bionic eye Tony had made him twitched to look at Tony just a half-second before the real eye caught up to it. 

“How?” Thor asked, intrigued but wary.

Tony smirked, allowing his eyes to flash brilliant, electric blue. “I can  _ tell _ them,” he said. He made it sound so very simple. It wasn't, but Thor didn't need to know that. 

“You don't have that much political clout,” Loki said, sitting in the chair to Thor's right. He looked perfectly relaxed as he picked at his fingernails, but Tony could see the hard lines of tension in his shoulders and around his eyes. “They won't cease simply because you say the word.” 

“Is that so?” Tony asked with a laugh. “Think you might have forgotten there, Rock of Ages, but I am a  _ god _ . I'm the god of technology. If they want to keep their precious tech, if they want to keep Extremis, if they want to power their countries, their weapons they plan to use to invade, their computers, their phones, their  _ internet _ , they'll do exactly as I say, or they will  _ suffer  _ the consequences.” 

Loki turned his attention to Tony and gave him a slow, wicked smile. “You've never indicated any such control before. How was I to know?”

“Maybe because I didn't want you to,” Tony said with a light shrug. He looked back to Thor. “You're a god, too. You're stronger than they are. Better than they are. You've proven that just by being so patient with them. Do you honestly think they would have been, of the situation was reversed?” Tony snorts at his own rhetorical question. “You don't have to cower before these pathetic little humans. Keeping your property for yourself isn't wrong. It's your stuff. No one should try to take your stuff.” Tony softens the words with a gentle kiss, which Thor half-heartedly returns.

Loki snorts from his chair. He clearly remembers Tony's comment about Thor taking  _ his  _ stuff, back when Thor had tried to take Loki from them before the Chitauri invasion. Tony shoots Loki a quick smirk, then faces Thor again. 

“Just say the word, Thor.”

“I don't want to put my people through another war,” he said quietly. “They've experienced so much loss as it is.”

Tony makes a soft, sympathetic noise. “You have allies, Thor. Me. And Bruce. Loki. Brunhilde. Other countries, like Wakanda. If anyone understands the value of not wanting someone to try to take what belongs to them, it's Wakanda. They're the only country in the world with vibranium. You wouldn't have to ask your people to fight. Though I think, if you asked, many of them would be proud to stand by your side.” 

Tony knows he's made the right choice with his wording when Thor looks more thoughtful than troubled. “Is war truly necessary?” he asked softly, squeezing Tony closer. 

“Sometimes, yes,” Tony said gently, running his fingers through Thor's short hair. “I've had FRIDAY looking out for you ever since your break in. She's reported nine attempts to infiltrate the little bunker I built you for the apples.” Tony hadn't needed one for himself. Extremis regenerated his cells before they could even think about dying. He was essentially just as immortal as Thor, now. He'd still accepted, when Thor offered him one, mostly for the symbolic gesture. 

“They've been dealt with,” Loki said coolly. “But it is a problem, and the attempts will continue. They will likely only get more creative and more forceful as time goes by.”

“You know,” Tony said, squeezing the back of Thor's neck, “if ruling with an iron fist and through conquest worked for your father and your sister… why shouldn't it work for you?” Thor opened his mouth, likely to protest, but Tony shushed him. “Just listen, first?” He waited until Thor fell quiet before continuing. “I know it isn't ideal, but consider what I'm trying to do. What I'm  _ really _ doing. I know you must have figured it out by now. I'm taking over the planet, one corporation, one country, at the time. It's slow and messy, and I'm afraid we won't get far enough fast enough to try to undo some of the damage that's already been done to the planet. We need the planet to survive, Thor. If it dies, we die with it. All humans, gone, just like that. I've been playing a massive game of nuclear arms chicken for years now. And it isn't getting any easier. But… if you help me… if you take over… it would be so much simpler, wouldn't it? And you have the experience. You have Loki to help you rule. You have Brunhilde, Bruce, the other Asgardians. You can leave most of the governing systems in place, if you want. But you can force them to end the nuclear threats. You can force them to change to green energy to help preserve the planet. It won't be easy, but… you were once the crown prince to nine  _ realms _ of people. One measly planet shouldn't be too much trouble. And think of the benefits. Your people could truly begin to rebuild here. They could be treated like they  _ deserve _ , not as invaders and aliens, but as the gods you all are.”

Loki was staring at Tony with wide eyes. Tony gave him a short, swift nod, and Loki nodded slowly, and lower, in return. 

“Let me think on it,” Thor requested. “This… I never wanted this. I didn't want to be a conqueror like my father. I only wanted peace.”

“Peace only comes once the wars have ended,” Loki said quietly, sagely. It sounded like old advice. It visibly affected Thor, so Tony kept quiet. “We are at war now, brother. Whether you want to admit it or not, whether you want to take up arms and fight or not, that is the situation. End the war, go home the victor, and you will find your peace.”

“Why is it you sound so much like Father?” Thor asked, giving his brother a pained smile. 

“Because I actually listened to his lessons,” Loki snarked back.

Thor cracked a small, watery smile. “Then we will prepare for war.”

Tony grinned, wide and just a bit feral. He put his hand to Thor's cheek and turned his face to the side so that he was looking at him. “Only so long as I am named King Consort,” he said, and kissed Thor soundly. Loki laughed. 

**Author's Note:**

> last line comes directly from Superior Iron Man Vol. 1
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> [come find me on tumblr](https://shyglittercreature.tumblr.com/)
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> i tend to post sneak peeks several days before posting the entire fic on ao3


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